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A. M. SHURTL'EFF, OF BOSTON, .MASSACHUS ETTS.

Letters Patent Nap-75,208, dated March 3, 1868.

IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR -ATOMIZING LIQUIDS.

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TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, A. M, SHURTLEFF, of Boston,.in the county of Suli'olk, and State of Massachusetts, have invented an ImprovedApparatus for Atomizing Fluids; and I do hereby declare that the following, taken inconnection with the drawings which accompany and form part of this specification, is a description at my invention suflicient to enable those skilled in the art to practise'it. I

The construction and operation of apparatus for atomizing or nebulizing liquids is now well known to physicians and surgeons, and this invention relates to the method of driving air through the air-tube of such apparatus, to produce the atomization of the fluid at the eduction-orifioc of the fluid-tube.

The means new generallycmployed for this purpose, and-in which the forcible expulsion of air at the eduction-orifics of the air-tube eiiects the atomization of the liquid, are the pressure produced by an air-pump, directly or indirectly connected withthe air-tube, which is generally either a piston-pump or an elastic bulb, havihg suitable inlet and outlet-valves, and sometimes, for simple operations, a simple bulb'without valves is connccted with the air-tube. fThesc means, however, require more or less manipulation of the operator, and an apparatus hus'become u desideratum, in which the atomization produced by the ejeotcd air shall be uniform, continuous, and automatic. I

For this purpose I. connect-the atomizing-tubes with the top of an fllF-VGSSel, and this vessel with a head of water, in such manner that thelpressure of the water from this head, when introduced into the vessel and against the body of air therein, drives the air through the air-tube, and thus atomizcs the fluid, and it is in this arrangement or combination of devices, or the method of supplying the current ol'vair to atomizing-tubes, that. my invention consists. i Y

The drawing represents an apparatus embodying the invention.

A denotes the atomizing-tubes, made not unlike those in common use, a being the iluid-tube, shown ashaving its in ductionanouth in a. vessel, -b, containing the liquid to he atomized, and c the air-tube, the outer points of these two tubes having their air and fluid-apertures arranged in immediate juxtaposition, in the wellknown manner. The opposite end of the air-tube is connected to annir-vcsscl, d, by a pipe, 0, or leads directly from said vessel, the joints being made air-tight. Communicating with this uim'essel is a water or fluid-pipe, f, whose source of supply is at such distance above the vessel (1 as to create a considerable pressure upon the body of air in the vessel d, when a controlling-cock, g, is opened. In cities having a supply of water under pressure, the pipefmay be a branch from or a continuation of any supply-pipe, and in cities and towns having no such water-pressure, a water-tank, 7:, may be suitably located, and the pipefled directly thereftom to tho vessel d.

In operating with the apparatus, the cock g is opened, when the pressure of the liquid entering the vessel d expels air therefrom through the atOrnizing-tube c, and thereby drawsthc fluid from the vessel b, through the tube a, and atomizes it at the point of said tube, the atomization going on so long as air is contained within the vessel d, and the communication with the water-source is kept open. To re-supply the air-vessel after the air is expelled therefrom, the pipefmay be drawn off. from the nozzle z, or the air-vessel may haveadrawoil cock.

It will be obvious that the pipef mayenter the vessel (1 at its top, met any other point, means being of course provided for drawing off the liquid when the air is exhausted. The tubes a b are represented in the drawing as of about half the usual size, but the vessel 01 is preferably very much larger in proportion. to such tubes than is shown.

I claim, in combination with atomizing-tubcs, an ainvessel having means of-connection both with the atomizing-tubes and a stationary liquid-head, substantially as set forth.

A. M. SHURTLE FF.

Witnesses:

F. Goose, L. H. Lumen. 

